August 26, 2005

Excerpt from New Book: Divided Minds

Our local blog celebrity -- Pamela Wagner -- has had her and her sister's new book featured earlier this month in the New York Times. Following is a short excerpt from their new book "Divided Minds" and a link to the full article just below the excerpt. I highly recommend you check it out, and also check Pam's blog on the site.

PAMELA: On Nov. 17, 1952, I slid into the world with barely a whimper. Five minutes later, kicking and squalling, my identical twin sister tumbled out after me. We were as alike as two spoons. We answered in one voice, spoke each other's thoughts, completed each other's sentences. We were bound to each other as firmly as any conjoined set of twins.

But in other senses we were polar opposites. I was the steady, stoic one; I soothed my needy twin whenever she went on a weeping jag or temper tantrum, which seemed to be all the time. I shone at school; Lynnie didn't read until fourth grade. I was capable; Lynnie worked on being pretty.

Comments

Thank you so much for providing the opportunity to access Pam and Carolyn's New York Times article. I attempted to scroll the Times archives for it, but I was not successful. Now it is printed and has taken its place in my "Spiro twins" archives.
I have read the book and found it not only to be a work of sound literary quality, but more importantly, it is a book that takes its reader to hell time after time. From this memoir I learned the enormous capacity of the human spirit to suffer the unimaginable, yet rise like a phoenix each time, ready to do battle again. I salute these two courageous women for sharing their story with complete candor and giving hope to all who once believed it was impossible to suffer so greatly and survive. They are an inspiration to us all.
With unconditional admiration, respect,and fondness,
Paula Kirkpatrick

I found the book to be profoundly moving. The poem by Pamela is especially beautiful and I can't read it without tears. What an incredible journey and these ladies are both heroic each in her own way. It truly shows how even the "best" care is inhumane and uncompassionate. What a long way we have to go.